Mahou Ashikabi Negima
by Juubi-K
Summary: Negi and Asuna thought finding Minato Sahashi in Shin Tokyo would be a simple errand. They never expected to caught up in the Sekirei plan, or the destinies to which it would lead them.
1. Chapter 1

**Mahou Ashikabi Negima**

**A Negima and Sekirei crossover fanfiction**

**Based on concepts developed by Zaru and Juubi-K**

**Written by Juubi-K**

**Chapter One**

_**Shin-Tokyo, the University**_

Minato Sahashi was not a happy young man.

The cause of his unhappiness loomed in front of him, a sheet of white paper pinned to a notice board, with numbers listed in black kanji.

His was not among them. He had failed the university entrance exam, for the second time.

Minato sighed, and turned his back on the board. He trudged towards the gate, doing his best to ignore the celebrating teenagers around him. There was only one thing left to do.

"Sorry mom," he said into his phone as he passed through the gate. "I didn't get in again."

"What? Well what're you going to do now? Do you want to come back home"

"I need a little time to think things through. I'll call you back in a few days, okay?"

Minato switched off the phone and stood where he was, wondering what to do with himself. He didn't particularly want to go home. All the waited for him there was his mother's disappointment, his younger sister's mockery, and some chump-change job if anyone could be bothered to hire him.

Neither of them had ever had much confidence in him. This was mostly because no matter how hard he tried, how diligently he prepared, nothing ever seemed to go right for him on the day. He was probably the only big brother in the world to have found his sister lost in the forest, only to get lost himself while carrying her home.

Minato sighed, and decided to head back to his small apartment. He didn't much feel like doing anything else.

"Mister Minato Sahashi?"

The voice, quite high-pitched, took him by surprise. Minato glanced around, and saw a girl standing a few metres away. She looked to be of about junior high-school age, though like everyone else she was wearing a winter coat, so he couldn't see her uniform. She had orange-red hair tied in a pair of long tails, each decorated with a pair of golden bells on a red ribbon. He was mildly surprised to notice that her eyes were differently coloured, with one blue and other green. She rated very highly on the cuteness scale, though her appeal was marred somewhat by the look of thinly-veiled contempt she was sending his way.

Minato opened his mouth to speak, then faltered as he tried to figure out why a young girl like her should know his name, let alone want to speak to him.

Then the girl raised her right hand, jabbing downward with her index finger. It was only then that Minato noticed her companion, which was embarrassing because he was only a head shorter.

"May I confirm that you are Mister Minato Sahashi?"

Minato blinked in surprise. The person speaking to him was a little boy of about ten years, clad in a green suit and a child-sized trenchcoat. Like the girl he had red hair, but his was of a redder tinge than hers. Minato thought for a moment that he might be her little brother, until he took in the shape of his face and his skin tone. Both marked him as a foreigner, though of what variety Minato could not say. A pince nez sat on his nose, and a very long stick or staff was strapped to his back, curving back and forth at the top like some sort of magic wand.

"Uh, that's me." Minato was too bewildered to say anything else.

"A pleasure to meet you." The boy's bow, like his Japanese, was near-perfect. "I am Professor Negi Springfield, Homeroom Teacher to Class 3A, Mahora Academy Junior High Division. This is my student, Asuna Kagurazaka." The girl pointedly failed to bow.

"Uh, right." Minato began to wonder whose idea of a joke this was. A ten-year-old foreign kid teaching at an elite school like Mahora? He'd heard that it was a weird place, but this was pushing it too far.

"Mister Sahashi," Negi went on, smiling too much. "We have come here to convey a message from Konoemon Konoe, Dean of Mahora Academy."

"Yeah, I bet." Competing instincts warred within Minato. He couldn't normally find it in himself to be harsh with small children, especially one so cute and courteous as Negi. On the other hand, he really wasn't in the mood to be jerked around, not after failing the exam again.

"Are you being sarcastic?" Asuna demanded, her demeanour suddenly aggressive.

"Uh, no! I…!" Minato was caught off-guard. There was nothing obviously threatening about Asuna, but something told him he was about to make a very bad enemy.

"I could have been doing something fun right now," Asuna went on harshly, leaning forward in a manner Minato found very intimidating. "Seeing as I'm in Shin Tokyo. Instead, I'm hanging around here in the cold looking for a pathetic ronin who can't even pass an entrance exam on his second attempt! So quit with the sarcasm!"

"Now now, Asuna-san," Negi admonished. "You should be more considerate of Sahashi-san's feelings. Besides, exam success isn't everything."

Minato was torn between losing his temper and bursting into tears. Had he really fallen that far? Had he become so pathetic that he was being pitied by a ten-year-old foreigner, who spoke nicer Japanese than he did, and could probably write perfect kanji, and who was obviously some kind of genius and therefore _might _actually be a teacher?

What was he compared to all that?

"Come on Negi," Asuna ordered with a snort, disgusted at Minato's obvious despair. "We're wasting our time with this loser. He's obviously not interested."

"Wait, Asuna-san." Negi reached into his pocket, and drew out and envelope. "I fear I neglected to give you this, Sahashi-san. It should explain everything."

The sincerity in Negi's tone drew Minato from his funk long enough to look at the envelope the boy was holding out for him. It looked expensive, and had his name written on the upper side in kanji. His curiosity aroused, he took it and turned it over, seeing a seal stamped on the back in red ink. It was a fleur-de-lys, with the words _Mahora Academy_ underneath.

_That _brought him up short. If this was some kind of prank, it was an incredibly elaborate one. That ruled out his classmates at the cram school, for they doubtless had better things to waste their mental capacities on than tormenting him.

It did not, however, rule out his little sister. Yukari Sahashi wasn't a bad person, not _really, _but she was just clever enough, resourceful enough, and _sadistic_ enough to go the extra mile to prank him.

"Aren't you gonna _open _it?" demanded Asuna, giving him the evil eye. Unwilling to tempt her wrath, Minato complied. There was a letter inside, written in very formal Japanese and on expensive paper that matched the envelope, with the Mahora Academy crest emblazoned at the head.

He read the letter, then read it again, and again. He glanced up at Negi, who was standing there with a smile on his face, waiting patiently. He read it through again, just to make sure his desperate mind wasn't playing tricks on him.

"I'm thinking this isn't a prank," he said, his voice hoarse with shock.

"Indeed not, Sahashi-san," Negi proclaimed, beaming. "Dean Konoe wishes to offer you a probationary post."

"But…" Minato spluttered. "I…I'm a…!"

"Failure?" Asuna cut in, scowling. "Loser? Ronin?"

"Is there somewhere we can talk in private, Sahashi-san?" Negi asked.

"Uh…sure."

The metro carriage was largely deserted, the morning commuter rush having long since passed. Minato nonetheless felt awkward, even though none of his fellow travellers who were actually awake were paying him a blind bit of notice.

He glanced down at Negi, who was gazing out of the window at the Shin Tokyo cityscape as it drifted past. He found it hard to reconcile the normal little kid he saw right there with the precocious, eccentric young boy he had encountered a few minutes earlier. What was even stranger was that there was actually a bizarre sort of logic to it. He had received a job offer from Mahora Academy, from the hands of a ten-year-old boy who wore a suit and talked like a prince. All in all, it was _just _weird enough that it might, just might, be true.

"_Yeah right, and the Gods will send a cute girl from the heavens to be my loving wife. This has to be some kind of prank._"

Except he couldn't think of anyone of a mind to prank him with the resources and skills to pull it off. Unless he was on one of those hidden camera shows.

"Sahashi-san," Negi said, drawing his attention. "What building is that?" Minato followed Negi's gesture, and soon understood. The building Negi was pointing at was a skyscraper, built in an art-deco style with a clock set into the side facing them. It was truly vast, towering over every other building in the city, a testament to the wealth and ambition of those who had ordered its construction.

"Oh, that's the MBI building," he said. "It's been there since before I came here."

"It's very large," Negi commented, as if he found this somehow strange. "MBI must be very wealthy and powerful."

"You might say that. I heard this morning that they bought up eighty per cent of the city's stocks."

"No way," Asuna spoke up, surprised. "Wouldn't that mean they owned the city?"

"Pretty much." Minato fell silent, gazing at the edifice looming in the near distance. The MBI Conglomerate was a relative newcomer, having risen only within his lifetime. But in that time it had become a major player in high-tech precision manufacturing, as well as research and development in any number of fields. It had branches in every country in the developed world, and it was known to have its own private army with military-grade equipment. Hardly a week went by without some politician, businessman, or journalist denouncing MBI for having too much money or too much power, with one politician actually labelling the company a threat to democracy. If it was, no one was really taking it seriously. MBI hadn't done anything overtly wrong, but it nevertheless seemed that no government was willing to stand up to them.

"_At least someone's successful in this city._"

Minato glanced at Negi and Asuna again.

"_Maybe I should just take them up on it. It might be a prank, but things can't get much worse. I've got no education and no job. I'll never get a girlfriend this way._"

All at once they had reached their destination, the station closest to his apartment.

"Uh, my apartment's just along here," he said as they headed down the steps to street level. "It's not much, but…"

"Out of the way please!"

Minato came to a halt, glancing back and forth as he tried to figure out where the cry had come from. With the strange idea that had come from above him, he cast his eyes skyward.

"Please move from there!" shrieked what looked distinctly like a very scared young woman in some kind of white outfit, plummeting out of the sky towards him. Negi cried out in surprise as Asuna grabbed him and leapt out of the way, disappearing behind a bush, but Minato could only stare in stunned disbelief as the vision descended.

The next thing he knew, he was lying sprawled on the street, in some pain, and with a very heavy weight on his chest. Shaking his head to drive away the dizziness, Minato craned his neck to look at his chest.

What he saw was a young woman's posterior. A very well-shaped young woman's posterior, covered by a very well-fitting pair of white cotton panties. Minato felt all his blood run to his head as he took in the sight. This was the closest he had ever gotten to it.

"Oww!" a female voice moaned, and Minato felt the pressure on his chest ease as the girl clambered off him. "I should've known that building was too far to leap." She turned around, revealing a heart-shaped face with brown hair reaching just past her chin and wide, copper-coloured eyes.

"Thank you very much!" she said, smiling brightly. "You must be the kind person who caught me, right?"

"I…I wouldn't say caught," babbled a spellbound Minato. He had never seen anything quite so beautiful in all nineteen years of his life. He felt heat in his cheeks, and only after a few seconds did he start to wonder what had become of Negi and Asuna.

For that matter, it was only then that he noticed what she was wearing. She wore what looked like the upper half of a Shrine Maiden's traditional costume, stretched very tight over a pair of unusually large breasts, which were in turn held up by a wide pink obi, tied in a bow at the back. Beneath the obi was a short red pleated skirt, while a pair of powerful-looking legs were encased in white stockings and knee-length boots. It was an outfit better suited to a martial arts girl in some Shounen manga, but there it was, right in front of him.

"Look out!" The girl leapt at him, pushing him backwards. An instant later the pavement where they had been squatting exploded, the force enough to send them both flying. Minato hit the pavement hard, the girl landing on top of him, her breasts bouncing against his face.

"There's no use running away!" called a female voice from above them. The voice had a hard, sneering edge to it. Minato looked up to see two female figures standing on top of a nearby building. He gawped at the sight of their long black hair, and the tight, revealing costumes they wore.

"We'll just come after you again!" called the other one. "So fight us!"

"I can't fight!" the girl shouted back, standing up. There was an air of determination about her. "Not yet!"

"Even if you don't feel like it," sneered one of the other two girls. "We certainly do!"

Minato stared in disbelief as lightning crackled about their hands. The two girls leapt from their vantage point, revolving like acrobats as they descended. Minato was transfixed, wondering how on earth this could be happening.

And then the world became a blur as the brown-haired girl grabbed his hand and sped away along the street, so fast that he fluttered behind her like a windsock.

"Hey!" one of the black-haired girls called after her. "Get back here!"

Both sped off in hot pursuit, neither being particularly interested in the schoolgirl and boy trying to disentangle themselves from one-another behind the bush.

* * *

_**Maison Izumo**_

"I can't believe that girl just made off with him!" Asuna complained, as she and Negi approached their boarding house. "The whole day down the drain because of it!"

"You gotta admit though!" Albert Chamomile cut in from Negi's shoulder. "Those girls were pretty damned hot!"

"Pretty dangerous I should say," Negi retorted. "Throwing lightning bolts around like that. Someone could get hurt."

"I never thought something like that would surprise you, aniki."

"I'm not surprised Chamo, not really. It's just…quite strange. I didn't sense any magic coming from them, at least not of the usual kind."

"Yeah, you're right."

There were many strange things about Negi Springfield. The fact that he was currently talking to a white ermine named Albert Chamomile, and that it was talking back, was strange enough by any usual standard. But it was only a small aspect of a much greater, and stranger truth.

Negi Springfield was a wizard, specifically a Magister Mage in the Western tradition. Like all Magister Magi, he had been assigned an apprenticeship as part of his secondary training, something that would test not merely his magic, but his deeper qualities as well.

His apprenticeship had been to teach English at a girls' Junior High school.

Needless to say, this assignment had caused some comment. Not least from his cousin Nekane, who had raised him, and his childhood friend Anya. And that was nothing compared to how his students had reacted upon his arrival at Mahora Academy. It was nothing short of a miracle that he'd actually managed to get some teaching done.

"So it wasn't magic?" Asuna asked, glancing down at him.

"I don't think so," Negi replied, trying to make sense of the very strange aura he'd picked up from those three girls. "I can't really be sure. Sensing isn't very good for these sorts of things. I'll have to do some proper scrying."

"Whatever."

They had reached Maison Izumo, a large house built in the traditional style. Negi and Asuna were staying there thanks to an introductory letter provided by Dean Konoe, who was also covering the expenses. The knowledge of that fact was not much comfort to Negi, since he had managed to lose Minato. After all the kindness Konoemon Konoe had shown him, he had hoped to be able to carry out such a simple task.

"Tadaima!" Asuna called, as they crossed the threshold. Chamo vanished with a zip.

"Okairi-nasai!" replied a tall, elegant woman with long purple hair who appeared at the opposite end of the corridor. "Did your day go well?"

"Not as well as we hoped, Miya-san," Negi replied sheepishly. "The gentleman we were looking for slipped through our fingers, and under very strange circumstances."

"Oh," Miya Asama said sympathetically, advancing along the corridor to greet them. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Not half as sorry as I am, landlady-san," Asuna groused, closing the door behind her. "We finally found the guy, then some girl dropped out of the sky and ran off with him."

"Young ladies these days," Miya sighed disapprovingly, though still with a smile on her face.

"Are you heading out, Miya-san?" Negi asked, noting the shopping bag in her hands.

"As it happens I am. I need a few groceries before I start dinner. Oh, but it would be bad of me to leave guests alone in the house."

"Then allow me to go." Negi suggested brightly. "I still have my shoes on."

"You would?" Miya seemed surprised by the courtesy. "But you've only just returned."

"I'm happy to be of help," Negi insisted. "And I still have my shoes on." Miya gave a barely audible giggle from behind her hand. Asuna rolled her eyes.

"You're such a sweet boy, Negi-chan." Negi's face flushed at the compliment. "So polite and well-raised. Your mother in heaven must be looking down upon you with pride."

"Oh…I…thank you, for your kind words," Negi stammered. He knew that Dean Konoe had mentioned his circumstances in his introductory letter, at least those details that didn't involve magic. All the same, hearing it from such a gentle and motherly woman made him feel strange.

"It must be so hard for you, Negi-chan." Miya caressed his cheek, her purple eyes full of tenderness. "All alone at that school, surrounded by all those high-spirited girls, with no mother to advise you, and to protect you."

"Well I…" Negi's face had turned the colour of his hair. Asuna muttered something that sounded like _"gimme a break!_"

"I do hope they don't take advantage of you." Miya turned towards Asuna, and something in the older woman's gaze sent a shiver down her spine. "I hope they don't do _unspeakable _things."

Asuna flinched from her gaze as the air went cold around her. There was a strange, unsettling aura coming from Miya, almost as if some demonic face was hovering around her. Asuna hadn't seen anything quite so creepy in a very long time.

"You'll take good care of Negi-chan, won't you Asuna-chan?" Even her voice made Asuna shiver. "You'll go shopping with him, won't you?"

"Yes, Miya-san," Asuna stammered.

"Good!" Miya proclaimed, beaming as the frigid presence vanished in an instant. "There's no need for you to go _just _yet. Why don't you both have some tea before you go?"

"Thank you very much, Miya-san." Negi bowed respectfully, which made Miya giggle as she turned and headed back towards the kitchen.

"That _woman_," Asuna lamented, as soon as Miya was out of sight. "She could scare Nitta-sensei."

"She's not so bad," Negi commented, slipping off his shoes.

"It's all right for you!" Asuna snapped. "She never uses the demon head on you!"

"Of course she doesn't," said a rich, male voice from nearby. Both looked to see a silver-haired young man leaning against the wall of the perpendicular corridor. He wore a white shirt, the collar stylishly unbuttoned, and tight black trousers that made the most of his trim figure. His near-angelic face bore an expression of mild amusement.

"Kagari-san!" Negi blurted out, taken by surprise.

"Oh yeah!" Asuna demanded. She was in no mood to succumb to his charms. "Well how come!? Why does Negi-bozu get special treatment!?"

Kagari chuckled, a sound so delicate and cultured that it might have come from a woman's throat.

"Because he's a child." Kagari swaggered closer and bent down, as if to get a closer look at Negi. "She's always wanted a child in the house."

"Oh." Now Negi felt even more awkward than before. "I…see."

* * *

_**Shin Tokyo, a local park**_

It was a cold night.

Darkness had fallen, and the street lamps had just come on. Their light was bright, but somehow empty and unfeeling, a poor substitute for the warm radiance of the sun.

The young woman sat where she was on the park bench, her head lowered, her eyes blank. The stolen lab coat and shirt offered neither modesty nor warmth, but she had long since ceased to care. She did not attempt to cover herself, nor to warm herself, not even to move. There seemed little point.

And the cold that tormented her near-naked body was naught to the chill in her soul.

Ruined. Misbegotten. Malformed. Corrupted.

_Scrapped Number._

There was nothing left for her now. In the blink of an eye, her existence had been rendered meaningless. There would be no Ashikabi, no joyous union. She would never spread her wings, nor recite the holy words. She would never, ever, take flight with the other little birds.

She was no longer one of them. Her wings had been clipped.

It occurred to her that she could die. She might die of hypothermia, or at the hands of one of the degenerates that stalked the darkness, though not before he or she had done their pleasure. She did not care if they did. She didn't care how long it took, or how painful it would be. There was no pain they could inflict on her, no matter how degraded they were, that could compare to her current state of being.

So lost was she in despair, the images of her desolation playing over and over again inside her mind, that she barely paid any attention to the footsteps approaching along the path.

"Man I'm starving."

"I'm sure you'll feel better after dinner Asuna. Miya's a wonderful cook."

"You got that right. She's at least as good as Konoka-chan."

Voices. Names. The implication of a place called home. Things she would never know, and did not deserve to know.

"Are you gonna scry tonight? Try and find Sahashi?"

"I suppose I could give it a whirl. I can't guarantee anything in a big city like this."

Familiarity. Camaraderie. Maybe even love?

"You know, for somebody who wants to be a great Mage you're not a whole lot of…the hell!?"

A girl's voice, going from sullen to shocked in an instant. She could tell where she was, and where she was facing. She knew what the girl had seen.

"Oh my! Whatever could she be doing there?"

A young boy, considerably younger than the girl. He spoke Japanese, though it was probably not his first language. He was standing right next to the girl, and looking in the same direction.

"She doesn't look at all well. Do you think she might have been hurt?"

"Hey, you might be right."

They were coming closer, their scents brushing at her senses. Suspicion, calculation, the beginnings of fear. They were suspicious of her, fearful of her, wondering how best to destroy her.

"Holy cow! Is that blood?"

"Are you all right?"

Very close now. Not immediately hostile, but still uncertain. A twinge of curiosity broke though her despair, and she raised her head just enough to see them.

She had been right. A teenage girl, and a young boy. She felt concern in the girl's aura, but a rising air of aggression, of indignation. She wondered for a moment if she was one of _them_.

"Who did this to you?" the girl demanded, growing angrier by the second. "Is the bastard around here?"

He wasn't. She had last seen him inside the MBI building, his eyes wide and desperate, his hands clamped about her throat, an instant before she did it.

"It's all right," the boy said, the sound of his voice like a gentle caress. "We're not going to hurt you."

There was none of the girl's aggression there, none of her anger. There was…warmth…and love. And they were reaching out to her.

"Asuna, look at this." The boy had noticed it, judging by her line of sight. "On her forehead."

"Yeah, I see it," the girl mused, narrowing her eyes as she looked at it. "It was the same as on that girl's outfit. A bird."

They had seen it. Surely now they would understand. Surely now they would see her for the abomination she had become. They would realise that she was of no use to them, that she could never be what they wanted her to be. Such was her destiny.

"Can you tell me your name?" the boy asked, with a smile that made his face light up. "Mine is Negi Springfield, and this is my dear friend, Asuna Kagurazaka." The girl smiled too.

"Friend," she whispered. The pair seemed momentarily taken aback, as if weren't entirely sure she _could _speak.

"Yes," Negi said earnestly. "Friends."

"Ashikabi…"

"Erm…" Negi looked embarrassed. "I'm…afraid I don't know what that means."

"Akitsu." She raised her head a little further. "I'm…Akitsu."

"Akitsu, why are you all alone out here?"

"And how come you've got no clothes?" Asuna cut in. "If some guy did this to you, just say the word and I'll take him down."

"I'm a discarded number," Akitsu admitted in a low voice. "I was defective. They threw me out."

"That's terrible!" Negi exclaimed. Both he and Asuna looked horrified, though Akitsu could not understand why. "Whatever do you mean?"

Akitsu finally raised her head fully, looking at them both in confusion. Did they really not understand? Was it not obvious to them?

Didn't they know what a Sekirei was?

"Well, it's getting very cold out here." Negi held out a hand. "Won't you come with us, Akitsu? You'll catch your death if you stay out here."

"Come on, Akitsu." The girl held her hand out too, with a cheerful smile. "We can't leave a girl out here alone and half-naked. Come with us."

"I'm afraid I can't allow that."

The voice was arrogant, confident, _male_. Negi and Asuna spun around as a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a teenage boy with spiky brown hair, clad in a fancy white outfit. His eyes moved lazily from Akitsu to Negi and Asuna, and back again.

"You see," he went on. "I can't let you just _take _her like that."

"Who the hell are you?" Asuna demanded, dropping into what looked like a combat stance. "What do you want with her?"

"Hayato Mikogami. And I want her for my collection." The young man smiled, as yet more figures stepped into the light behind them. "Beauty belongs to those who can appreciate it, after all."

"She's coming with us," Negi said, his tone clipped with self-control. "She needs help."

"And how do _you _intend to help her," the boy insisted airily. "You don't even know what she is. You have absolutely _no _idea of what you've just wandered into the middle of."

The words faded as Akitsu's attention fell on the newcomers. Four females, one male, standing behind Mikogami like servants or bodyguards. Akitsu tensed as she saw them more clearly, and picked up on their auras. She knew what they were.

_Sekirei. _


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

_**Shin-Tokyo, a local park**_

Negi gritted his teeth as he placed the bag of groceries down by the bench and pulled his staff from his back.

"Please stand down!" He fixed his eyes on Mikogami, who regarded him with lazy amusement. "I'm warning you!" One of his companions, a young woman with long brown hair and long-handled scythe in her hands, let out a bark of scornful laughter.

"Warning _me_?" the youth mocked. "Are all the little boys in England so casually warlike? I'm the one who should be warning you. After all, you're offering _me _violence."

"I…" Negi trailed off as he realised the arrogant young man was, strictly speaking, correct.

"Consider this before you menace me," Mikogami went on, smirking. "Who is society going to side with? If I were to call the police right this instant, who will they believe? Me, the respectable Hayato Mikogami? Or a foreign child and a delinquent Junior-High school student?"

"Are you _trying _to get your face smashed in?!" Asuna snarled. "You can call the cops all you want, but it won't do you any good!" She smirked in turn. "I'll just make a little phone call, and we walk right out. We've got powerful friends of our own."

"I'm _sure _you do."

Negi scanned his eyes over the group. Mikogami didn't seem to be a threat, but his five companions were another matter. A tall young man with silver hair stood next to Mikogami, with an air of what Negi at first took to be boredom. Then their gazes met for an instant, and he saw something else.

"_He's like Setsuna-san,_" he thought. "_He's not interested, but always alert._"

The other four were all young women, looking to be a few years older than Asuna, and rather top-heavy to boot. Two of them appeared to be twins, with blonde hair in twin pigtails. Each wore a matching black minidress with a vertical yellow stripe, and black stockings reaching up their shapely thighs. Both regarded him with looks of thinly-veiled contempt. There was a taller one with long silver hair, wearing a white dress that opened in the middle, who looked as if she found the whole affair very funny. She appeared the least threatening, but he knew better than to underestimate her on that basis Last but not least was the one with the scythe, wearing a short black dress with red trim over a white skirt, and black stockings not unlike those of the twins. Her expression had gone from scorn to one of bloodlust.

Negi gritted his teeth behind clenched lips. Despite their oversized bosoms, their bodies were lean and powerful-looking, the bodies of trained fighters. On top of that, he could sense the same strange aura as he had earlier that day.

"_Are these the same as them?_"

"If you two want to fight that badly," Mikogami went on airily. "Then I'll indulge you this once. Yomi-chan, Mitsuha-chan." The scythe-wielder's smirk deepened as she sashayed forward. One of the twins snorted in apparent annoyance, the other sniggering at her misfortune.

"I'm taking the schoolgirl," said the scythe-wielder, moving to face Asuna. The annoyed twin stamped her foot at this.

"Not fair Master!" she snapped, eliciting further sniggering from her twin. "Why am I stuck with the kid?!"

"Now Mitsuha-chan," Mikogami admonished. "Be a good girl and do it for Master, okay?" He flashed what he evidently thought was a ladykiller smile. To Negi's surprise, the blonde warrior actually blushed, touching her white-gloved finger coyly to her lips.

"Mitsuki-chan, Taki-chan." Mikogami turned his attention to the others. "You can drop out for now. And if you find Himeko cowering somewhere, be sure to take her back."

"Whatever!" the other blonde snorted, stalking off. The silver-haired woman flashed Mikogami a smile and followed her.

"Now!" Mikogami clapped his hands, enjoying himself. "Girls, introduce yourselves and show these troublemakers what they've gotten themselves into."

"Do we have to?" asked Mitsuha sourly, taking her place opposite Negi. "It's not like this is a real battle. They're blatantly not Sekireis."

"_Sekireis_," Negi thought. "_Is that what they are?_"

"Whatever." Yomi settled easily into a combat stance, gazing at Asuna with bloodlust in her eyes. "I'm Sekirei Number 43, Yomi, and…" She paused. "Hey Master, do you want them dead, maimed, or just brutally done-over?"

"A doing-over will be fine," Mikogami replied, smiling too much. "We don't want to foul the atmosphere now, do we?"

"Oh really?" Asuna snorted. "Well, I'm Asuna Kagurazaka, Seat Number 8, Class 3-A, Mahora Academy. And you'd better not underestimate me." She drew out her Pactio card, eliciting a snort of derision from Yomi.

"_Adeat_!" At the word of command, the card glowed bright. Mikogami and his Sekireis watched in disbelief as the glowing shape expanded and changed, resolving into _Ensis Excorcisans, _a sword as long as Asuna was tall. Negi was more than a little relieved to see it. He would have been mortified if the harisen had come out. Yomi stared at the weapon in mute surprise.

"I don't know how you did that," she snarled, hefting her scythe. "And it doesn't matter!"

Negi watched as Yomi swung her scythe, the blade whistling as it cut through the air. Asuna leapt out of the way as the scythe came down, shattering the pavement in a cloud of dust. Negi was stunned by the sight, and wondered how she could have done it.

The distraction almost cost him his life. The flicker of movement in the corner of his eye gave him only an instant to react. He managed to launch himself backwards, barely avoiding the business end of Mitsuha's whip as it slashed down. Flying stone fragments stung his face, and he gaped as he saw the crater the whip had left.

"I can't believe I have to fight a human kid!" Mitsuha groused, withdrawing her whip with an expert flick. "I'm not gonna hold back!"  
"I don't want to harm you!" Negi called back, levelling his staff.

"You?! Hurt _me_?!" Mitsuha snorted. "Get real!"

"_Ras tel Ma Scir Magister._" A halo of white light surrounded Negi as the magic began to flow. He opened his eyes, and saw the confused look on Mitsuha's face. She wouldn't know what hit her.

"Coèuntes, sagittent inimicum meam! Sagitta Magica! Series Lucis!"

Arrows of bright light leapt from the tip of his staff, fanning out as they soared through the air towards Mitsuha. The Sekirei's eyes widened in shock, but it was already too late, as the _sagitta _vectored in towards her. The blasts struck, exploding with a roar and a flash of blinding light. Negi squeezed his eyes shut, setting his feet as the hot wind rushed over him.

He opened his eyes. Mikogami was lying sprawled on the grass a few metres away, his white outfit scorched and covered in soil. The grey-haired man stood next to him, legs braced, arms crossed protectively in front of his head.

"What the…?!" Mikogami spluttered, spitting something out of his mouth. "Mutsu! What do you think you're doing! You said you'd protect me!"

"I said I'd protect your life," the man groused back. "Not your ego."

"Okay! Now I'm mad!" Negi glanced around and saw Mitsuha standing up. Her dress and face were scorched, but the attack seemed only to have made her angry.

"You've seen my power!" he proclaimed, hoping against hope that this could be the end of it. "This doesn't have to continue!"

"Oh yes it does!" Mikogami shrieked, pulling himself up. "You think you can humiliate me and get away with it?! Kill them both!"

"I was gonna do that anyway," Mitsuha groused, squaring her shoulders. Gritting his teeth, Negi readied to cast again.

"Coèuntes, sagittent inimicum meam! Sagitta…!"

"Too slow!"

Negi's hand erupted in pain as Mitsuha's whip struck it. He cried out, pulling it away in reflex, and then cried out again as the heavy leather whip caught him full in the chest, knocking him to the ground.

"Negi!" Asuna cried out. She made to run to him, but Yomi swung her scythe, letting loose a rippling wave of pressurized air that forced Asuna to dodge. Negi grunted and hissed as he pulled himself up to a crouching position. His coat and suit were torn, revealing bruised and bloodied flesh underneath. He felt a terrible pain in his chest, and wondered if his ribs were broken.

"So much for you,"Mitsuha sneered, sashaying forward and halting just in front of him. "You know, you're the type I _really _hate. The _protector _types, like that damn Homura."

Negi managed to raise his head, staring up into her eyes. They were alien, inhuman, hinting at a nature outside of his knowledge. And they were utterly without pity.

Mitsuha smirked as she flicked back her whip.

And then yelled in pain as Negi's magically-charged fist struck her in the stomach. The blow drove her back, her high-heeled boots scoring the pavement. Negi tried to stay on his feet, to gather himself for another attack, but the pain was overwhelming.

Asuna tried a second time to run to him, but Yomi blocked her path.

"Forget about your underage boyfriend!" she sneered. "I'm your opponent!"

"You're a real bitch, you know that?!" Asuna snarled back. "And he's not my boyfriend!"

"Don't try to deny it!" Yomi shrieked, her lips split in a grimace of psychotic joy. She leapt at Asuna, scythe held high, her hair and the purple ribbons tied in it billowing.

"You're a pervert!" The scythe tore into the pavement. "You like little boys!"

"Never!" Asuna screamed back. She leapt at Yomi, swinging Ensis to cut her in half. The Sekirei leapt back, avoiding the blade by a hairs-breadth. She glanced at Negi, who was still standing, but only just. His staff lay a few metres away, well out of reach. Akitsu was still sprawled on the bench, and there was no sign of Chamo. The little coward had doubtless run off somewhere.

Asuna cursed through gritted teeth. She had to get to Negi, but if she did, she would have Yomi on her tail. She was no help to him dead, which was what she might just be at any moment.

"_How can they be this strong?_"

Akitsu stared intently at Negi as Mitsuha came on. The boy was putting up a good fight, very good for a human, but there could be only one outcome.

Her heart clenched as Mitsuha's whip struck him again, and again. The reaction surprised her, for she had thought her heart empty, incapable of reaction. She had thought it lost, for it had been torn out. Torn out along with her wings.

A cold lethargy congealed inside her, numbing her to all else. It froze her muscles, slowed her thoughts, drowning all sensation. It would not allow her to move, to react.

But there was warmth out there, in the shape of that young boy. Warmth, tenderness, perhaps even love. All the things she had tried to forget. All the things she was doomed never to know.

In a few moments, it would all be snuffed out. Any moment now, Negi would die.

And there was _nothing _she could do about it. Not _her. _Not a discarded number, against two winged Sekirei. She would die for sure, and for one who could never, _ever_, be her Ashikabi.

Akitsu felt a pain in her hand, and it took her a moment to realise that she was clenching her fist. Something inside her was rebelling. Something inside her was still shining, in the place where her heart had once resided. It was reaching out, yearning for that tiny centre of warmth in a cold, loveless universe, just a few minutes away.

What did it matter if he couldn't wing her? Who cared if he couldn't really be her Ashikabi? What else was there?

What was there, for her, in an eternity spent alone?

The coldness fled from about her heart, rushing out into the air around her. But it did not go far, and Akitsu did not wish it to. The coldness was a part of her.

Negi slumped to one knee.

"This is what you get for making a fool of me," Mitsuha growled. She pulled her whip tight with a sickening crack, a foretaste of what was to come. "I'll send you to a world of pain."

Negi forced his head up, willing himself to look her in the eyes. It was the only defiance he had left to offer. Every breath tortured his lungs. He felt…so very cold.

"_If only I were stronger_," he thought, sorrow tinging his agony. "_If only I had more time._"

Then Mitsuha's eyes flicked up, glancing at something behind him. She leapt back as an icy wind gusted over him, barely avoiding a storm of what appeared to be icicles. As she vaulted back, a pair of pale legs landed in front of him. They turned and crouched, their owner's face coming level with his own.

"Akitsu…" he croaked, through an aching throat.

"Ashikabi," she whispered, caressing his cheek.

"Uh, what're you doing?!" demanded Mitsuha, half-angry, half-bewildered. "We're in the middle of a fight here! Besides, he can't wing you anyway, so just give it up!"

"Hold on just a sec!" pleaded a familiar voice. Negi looked down, and gaped in surprise as he saw Chamo circling around them, a trail of white chalk following him in a familiar pattern.

"But…Chamo…"  
"There's no other way, _aniki_!" Chamo came to a halt, the magic circle complete. "Quick, before they wise up!"

Negi looked up into Akitsu's eyes, his heart wrenching as he saw the loneliness and desolation behind them. Something, something precious, had been taken from her. He knew not what, or how, or why, but its absence was plain to see.

He was frightened. How deep did her terrible, desperate need run? Did she understand the nature of a probationary contract? Would she settle for his friendship? His compassion?

Chamo was right. There was no other choice.

"Pactio!" exclaimed Chamo. Blinding light shone from the magic circle, hiding the world beyond. For those few moments they were alone, in a universe meant only for themselves.

"Ashikabi," Akitsu whispered, and kissed him full on the lips.

What happened next was not something Negi could easily describe. Few magi bothered to try, but it all Magi knew it well.

The light faded, returning them to the world. Akitsu stood up, turning to face Mikogami and his Sekirei, who stared at her in mute bewilderment. Negi rose with her, the euphoria soothing his pain.

"But…she can't!" Mikogami screamed, rounding on a still-stoic Mutsu. "You said she couldn't be winged!"

"She wasn't," Mutsu replied, staring intently at Akitsu. "I don't know what that was."

"Sis mea pars per decem secundas," Negi intoned, his eyes closed in concentration. "Ministra Negi, Akitsu!" A bolt of light leapt from his hand, circled twice round Akitsu, then dived into her chest. Akitsu gasped, then straightened as the magic empowered her. Her eyes narrowed, and she brought her arms up across her chest, palms inward and facing.

"Not good!" Mitsuha snarled. She leapt for the sky as walls of ice erupted from the ground all around Akitsu. The ice crackled as it spread and solidified, sharp stalagmites stabbing into the sky. Even Yomi had to break off as the ice reached for her, vaulting back out of danger. Mikogami was not so lucky, staring down in horror as the ice encased his feet.

"Hey pervert!" Asuna yelled, hefting her sword. "Now it's your turn!"

She charged at Mikogami. The youth cried out in terror as Ensis swung for his throat.

It stopped dead, the sharp edge touching his neck. Asuna gaped in surprise, and then saw the black-scabbarded sword, which seemed so slim and fragile compared to her own weapon, that had blocked her just in time. Her eyes fell on the hands on the grip, headed along and up the black-sleeved arms, and then to the face of its wielder.

Mutsu stared back at her. His face was as expressionless as before, but his eyes were intense.

"I can't let you do that," he said mildly. He moved, and Asuna screamed as she was flung back by what felt like a gale-force wind. She hit the ice-covered ground hard, and looked up to see Mutsu standing in front of his master. His sword was still sheathed.

"It's time we got out of here," Mutsu said. "Come along fair maiden."

"Wait!" Mikogami spluttered, as Mutsu picked him up like a damsel in distress. "Who're you calling a maiden?! Get back there and fight!"

Mutsu leapt, soaring over the trees and into the darkness, his charge's protests fading into the distance. Mitsuha gave Negi a scornful glance, then did likewise, followed by Yomi.

And all was quiet.

"Asuna," Negi croaked, as she pulled herself up. "Are you…all right?"

"I'm fine!" Asuna replied, dismissing Ensis and struggling over the melting ice towards him. "What about you?"

"I'm all right." Negi managed to straighten up. "It's not as bad as it looks." He looked up at Akitsu, who was staring at her hands in what might have been surprise.

"Thank you, Akitsu," Negi said, smiling. "We'd be dead if not for you."

"I gotta say, that _was _awesome!" Asuna added, grinning. "Where'd you learn to control ice anyway?"

"It's my power," Akitsu replied, looking up at them. "I'm a Sekirei."

"Yeah, we kinda guessed that." Asuna cocked her head. "But what does that mean?"

"I will protect my Ashikabi." Akitsu's voice was low, but by no means weak. "I will guide him…the higher sky." All at once she dropped to her knees and threw her arms around Negi, hugging him very tight.

"You're warm," she whispered.

"Right," drawled Asuna, glaring at her through suspicious eyes. She had seen this kind of thing too many times to react any other way. "What did you mean about you being a discarded Number? That guy acted like that shouldn't have happened."

"Warm."

"Are you listening to me?!"

* * *

_**Maison Izumo**_

"Welcome back!" Miya called, as she came strolling along the corridor. "Did you…oh my!"

Negi and Asuna stood upon the threshold, looking distinctly sheepish. Akitsu stood in between them, with remarkable composure for a big-breasted woman wearing nothing but a shirt and a lab coat.

"What's happened to you both?" Miya exclaimed, seeing the state Negi and Asuna were in. "You look like you've fought a battle! And who's your friend?"

"Miya-san." Negi gestured to Akitsu. "This is Akitsu, a friend of ours who's gotten into some terrible trouble. I'm afraid things got a little…unpleasant." He chuckled nervously.

"I can see." Miya crouched in front of Negi, examining his injuries. "You poor child! Getting caught up in violence!" There was something unsettling in her smile.

"I…I assure you, Miya-san." Negi was growing increasingly nervous. "I can handle myself in a fight."

"Handle yourself?" Miya turned to stare at Asuna, the air growing ever more frigid. "Asuna-san? Have you been making this _sweet _little boy fight in deadly battles?"

Asuna and Negi both flinched as the demon head appeared. Akitsu seemed unaffected.

"I must ask a favour, Miya-san," Negi asked. "Can Akitsu stay here? I will of course pay her share of the rent."  
"That won't be necessary." Miya's demonic aura vanished. "My late husband never turned anyone away. And in any case I'm curious." She giggled behind her hand. "It's not every day that young ladies drop in on me unexpectedly."

There was silence for a few moments as they heard the sound. It was too faint to be identified, but seemed to be growing louder and louder. Negi and Asuna looked at one-another in bewilderment as the sound became a long, drawn-out scream.

The scream was suddenly cut off, replaced by a loud rustling, then a dull thump. All four hurried to the sliding door further along the corridor, and looked out into the garden.

There, lying sprawled at the foot of a tree, was what appeared to be a young man. On top of him was a young woman, her red and white outfit torn to ribbons by her encounter with the tree. Negi and Asuna recognized them both immediately.

"Uh…are you okay, Musubi-chan?" the young man asked, coming to his senses.

"Mister Sahashi!" Negi exclaimed. "Are you all right?"

"Huh?!" Minato gaped in surprise as he saw them. "You guys?"

"Oh my." Miya regarded the unfortunate pair. "Negi-kun, is this the young man you mentioned?"

"Why yes he is!" Negi was beaming. "This is most fortuitous!"

"Yeah,"Asuna murmured, staring at Musubi's barely-concealed bosom. "What he said."

"What's all the noise?" Kagari came stalking along the corridor, wearing a look of mild annoyance. The look vanished as he peered through the doorway. Negi barely noticed the severe expression that flashed over his face, replaced by a look of mild astonishment.

"My word," Kagari said. "It's all happening here!"

* * *

_**Atop the MBI Building**_

"Yes. Really? I see. Very well."

Takami Sahashi snapped her phone shut, a slight smile crossing her face. A problem that had been bothering her for some time had just been resolved.

"_Take good care of her, Negi Springfield_," she thought, as she stared out over the city. "_She'll do the same for you._"

She was glad, more so than she had been in some time. It was one less thing to worry about, after what had happened in the arboretum.

"What was that, Takami?"

Takami managed, with some effort, to silence a snort of disgust as she glanced at the man standing in the parapet in front of her. He had a shock of white hair, and a white cloak that billowed in the evening wind.

"The Akitsu problem," she said, unsure of how much she should tell him. "It's been resolved."

"Ah, good news!" replied Hiroto Minaka cheerfully. "I know you were worried about her Takami. And it really would be a shame for her to be left out of our magnificent epic."

It was all Takami could do not to shudder. Hiroto Minaka was a man like few others. Probably the brightest mind ever to graduate from Tokyo University, a universally-acclaimed acknowledged 'super-genius', and the founder and Chairman of the MBI conglomerate.

And what had he done with it?

It was _frustrating_. It was _infuriating. _It drove Takami wild to think of what they might have done, what they might have achieved, if that lunatic would just let go of his fantasies. What might they have accomplished if he could just let go, and accept the world for what it was?

But he wouldn't. Not now, and probably not ever. Even after all the research, all the effort, and all the heartache, MBI's only purpose was to make possible all his mad dreams, and to give him the power to ensure that no one, no organisation, and no government, could ever stop him.

Twice they had tried, and twice they had failed. She could never forget what she had seen on Kamikura Island, when the governments of the world had tried to plunder MBI's secrets by force. Hundreds of men and women had died for that conceit, never really knowing what they were up against, or that they were doomed the moment they made landfall.

Or even why they were doing it.

She didn't hate Minaka for that. She knew better than to think the Japanese government, or any government, would be of any help to her. She did not fear for herself, or for her family, but rather for her other family, her one hundred and eight surrogate children. She knew only too well what would become of the Sekirei if the governments got their filthy hands on them. It was for them, for the little birds, that she stayed with him.

Besides, the deaths of those soldiers and sailors had put her name firmly on the hit list. After all, someone had to answer for it. Someone had to pay for making the governments of the world look like a pack of blithering incompetents.

So she would remain. She, Takami Sahashi, Chief Researcher of MBI, would see the Sekirei plan through to the end. It was all she could do for her little birds.

"I heard a very interesting story a few moments ago," Minaka commented. "Would you like to hear it?"

"Okay." Takami wondered what would happen if the clock behind them was to chime at that very moment.

"Apparent young Mikogami has suffered an embarrassment." Going by his tone, Minaka had enjoyed the tale immensely. "At the hands of a teenage girl and a young boy." He turned to look sideways at Takami, his eyes blazing with lunatic energy behind his glasses. "You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you Takami?"

"I'm afraid not." It was only half a lie. "We monitored a battle involving two of his Sekirei, but their opponents didn't register."

Even without that little detail, and the information she had gotten from Homura, the news had given her no small pleasure. The long scar over her left eye was a permanent memento of his greed, and she rejoiced that someone had put the wind out of his sails.

"Which means they can't be Sekirei." Minaka chuckled as he turned away to stare out over the city. "I wonder if this means _they've _gotten involved."

"And who is _they_?" Takami asked, intrigued.

"I don't really know," Minaka replied brightly. "And that makes it all the more entertaining! It'll add some spice to the Green Girl event!"

Takami shuddered. Only _he _would think of making that fiasco into a special event. It didn't seem to matter to him that she was all alone in the arboretum, with only the monstrously-overgrown plants and Homura to protect her.

"_Kusano…_"

"This is a bad idea," she said, unable to stay silent a moment longer. "If we tell every Ashikabi in the city that she's in there, there's no telling who'll go after her."

"You're worried Mikogami will press his suit again," Minaka replied, chuckling. "He's such a villain isn't he?! It would be wonderful if something amusing and painful happened to him!"

"This is no joke!" Takami spat. "After what he did…!"  
"The Discipline Squad has already given him a stern talking-to on my behalf," Minaka interrupted airily. "He insisted it was a misunderstanding, since she was out in the open." He turned to glance at her again. "I wonder whose fault that was."

Takami resisted a sudden urge to hit him. What made it worse was that she knew he was right. Kusano had been her responsibility, and she had let her down.

"She…wanted to go outside."

"In any case," Minaka went on. "He knows what'll happen to him if he breaks the rules again. Besides," he chuckled again, "any one of those eager young Ashikabis could be her true destined one. Not telling would give the little cradle-snatcher an unfair advantage."

"_Yes,_" Takami thought sourly. "_Perhaps it would._"  
She had no choice, in the end, but to trust in Homura's judgement. It was up to him to protect Kusano, and to make sure destiny took its proper course. For the moment, he was also the only one who could find anything out about the two mysterious fighters named Negi Springfield and Asuna Kagurazaka.

"_Oh well_," she thought, allowing herself to smile again. "_This'll be something worth looking into. It might stir things up a little, in ways that lunatic won't like_."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

_**Maison Izumo**_

"There, that should do it." Kagari finished taping the dressing over Minato's ravaged knee.

"Thanks," Minato said awkwardly. "Sorry about this."

"Hey, don't worry about it." Kagari finished packing up the First Aid kit. "I'm only doing what Miya asked."

"Miya," Minato repeated quietly, as Kagari returned the First Aid kit to its accustomed place atop the cabinet. "So that's what her name is."

"I need to apologise more than he does, Kagari-san," Negi spoke up. Minato glanced at him. Though he had already seen Negi's condition, he could not stop himself from staring. The younger boy's chest was exposed and wrapped around with bandages, as was his head and arms. Asuna sat next to him, looking generally disgruntled, the long cuts on her arms and chest sealed shut with adhesive strips.

"And I say again, don't worry about it." Kagari smiled as he leant against the sliding door. "But seriously, what happened to you all? Minato and Musubi falling from the sky, and Negi and Asuna look fresh from Sekigahara."

"Yeah, what the heck was up with that Negi?!" Asuna demanded, looming over Negi. "How did she rough you up so badly?! She wasn't _that _strong!"

"I'm sorry Asuna!" Negi wailed. "I didn't know her whip could do that much damage! She would've broken my bones if I hadn't…!"

"Broken your bones?!" Asuna snapped. "What about me?! That psycho nearly cut me in half! And she sliced up my coat! I really liked that coat!"

"Uh, excuse me?!" Minato exclaimed, shocked at what he had just heard. "Did you just say broken bones?" He looked up at Kagari, who shrugged.

"They seemed fine to me," he said. "I mean, it looked like somebody had gone after you with a whip, but nothing was actually broken."

"See! So quit whining Negi-bozu!" Asuna slapped him rather hard on the back. "You've had worse!"

"Worse?" All froze as the air turned cold. The door slid open, revealing Miya with _that _smile on her face. "Asuna-san, exactly how many battles have you allowed this precious child to fight in?"

"I…I…I…!" Asuna babbled, paralyzed with fear.

"Minato-san!" The girl with brown hair, who had introduced herself as Musubi, came bounding past Miya at that very moment. "Miya-san leant me a kimono!"

Minato stared as she stepped into view. Her shapely body was clad in a kimono, coloured a shade of pink and decorated with red flowers, with a purple obi. The effect was somewhat defeated by her bust, which the kimono did not seem able to contain.

"It's like two flowers have bloomed," Kagari commented chivalrously.

"Akitsu's wearing one too!" Musubi proclaimed. "Come on Akitsu, don't be shy!" Miya giggled behind her hand as Musubi reached behind the sliding door and pulled the other Sekirei into view. She was indeed wearing a kimono, but plain and white. A slight blush tinged her cheeks.

"Ah, Akitsu." Negi blushed, and began massaging the back of his neck. "You look lovely in that!" Akitsu darted across the room and planted herself next to Negi. Her blush had deepened.

"I…I'm so sorry," Minato said, standing up. "We're wearing all your clothes."

"It's fine," Miya insisted, giggling behind her hand again. "I like to help out when I can. My husband was the exact same way. In fact, you're wearing his tracksuit!"

Minato glanced awkwardly down at the green tracksuit Miya had given him in place of his previous outfit. Blushing, he glanced at Kagari.

"Sorry."

"Oh, she's not talking about me," Kagari assured him, laughing. "I'd never wear that, even if I _was _her husband. He passed away."

The atmosphere in the room darkened suddenly.

"Oh." Minato sounded crestfallen. "I'm so sorry."

"Thank you." Miya gave him a smile. "But it was a long time ago."

"Ah!" Musubi exclaimed, sniffing the air. "Something smells good!" A moment later, Negi felt the tasty scent titillate his nose.

"That's dinner cooking," Miya explained, smiling. "Would you like to join us?"

"But you've already done so much for us!" Minato protested. "We couldn't possibly…"

He was interrupted by a sudden growl from under Musubi's obi. Miya giggled.

"I take that as a yes." She turned to Akitsu. "Akitsu, you're more than welcome to join us also." Akitsu bowed her head, still blushing.

* * *

Dinner was laid, and it was as sumptuous as ever in Maison Izumo.

"Ah!" Musubi exclaimed, a moment after swallowing a piece of fish. "This is so good!"

"Yeah," Minato agreed. "It's delicious."

"You've outdone yourself again, Miya-san," Negi added, making Miya giggle. Kagari was smiling, as if he found the whole scene very pleasant. Akitsu said nothing, but sat next to Negi with her head bowed, eating quietly.

"All right!" Asuna growled, bopping Negi lightly on the head. "Less suck up, more eat up, Negi-bozu!"

An instant later both Minato and Musubi were doubled-over laughing.

"N…N…Negi-b…b….bozu!" Musubi spluttered. "Negi-bozu!"

"It's true!" Minato cackled, clutching his stomach. "He's a…he's a…a…a… _Negi-bozu_!"

Negi responded with a long-suffering smile.

"Oh come on," Asuna groused. "It's not _that _funny. Come to think of it, it stopped being funny months ago."

Kagari was smiling with amusement, but his smile fled as he felt the air growing cold around Miya. Asuna and Negi noticed it too, tensing for the horror to come.

A loud slam reverberated across the room, rattling the crockery and silencing the laughter. All looked to see Akitsu leaning over the table, one hand pressed down where she had slammed the table top. She was staring straight at Musubi, her face still deadpan, but with a look in her eyes as cold as the ice she wielded.

Minato flinched, intimidated. But Musubi, innocent that she was, merely blinked in surprise as she stared back at Akitsu.

"Now now, Akitsu," Negi pleaded, growing increasingly nervous.

"Please!" Minato pleaded, prostrating himself. "We're sorry! No violence!"

"You're making fun of my Ashikabi," Akitsu said, in her customary low tone. "Don't do that."

"Your Ashikabi?" Musubi looked at Negi, then at Akitsu, then at Negi, then at Akitsu again.

"Oh!" Musubi clapped her hands, overjoyed. "Then you're a Sekirei too!"

"Gah!" Minato yelled, eyes wide with panic. "Musubi! Don't say that!"  
"I wasn't sure before," Musubi went on, entirely oblivious. "It's just that I've never seen a Sekirei with her symbol on her head before! It's supposed to be back here." She tapped at the back of her neck to demonstrate.

"Miya-san!" Minato spun around to face the landlady. "This isn't…!"

"It's all right," Miya replied, smiling sweetly. "I know all about the Sekirei plan." There was a collective gasp as all eyes turned to her.

"You…do?" asked a deflated Minato.

"Of course!" Miya giggled. "Didn't I tell you? My husband used to work for MBI. And I also know about Negi-kun being a wizard." Negi cried out in shock, and Asuna's eyes bulged.

"B…b…b…!" Negi stammered. "But…how did you…?!"

"It was all in the letter Dean Konoe sent me," Miya explained. "He also explained about your little friend Mister Chamomile. He can stay, but if any _underwear_ should happen to go missing, drastic measures _will _have to be taken." She gave a particularly unsettling giggle.

"But…" Negi looked down at the table, embarrassed. "No one's supposed to know."

"Dean Konoe and I are old acquaintances," Miya went on. "So you needn't worry about your secret getting out." She turned her eyes upon Minato and Musubi, and the air turned cold again.

"Of course," she went on, a sudden edge in her voice, "you needn't worry about _me _blabbing to someone. Others, however…"

"I promise I'll keep it a secret!" Minato wailed, prostrating himself again. "I swear on my life! Just please _please _don't tell anyone about the Sekirei plan or Sekireis or anything like that! MBI'll come after me if you do!"

"I can keep a secret!" Musubi said happily. "So Akitsu-chan, how did your symbol get on your head like that?" Her smile faltered as Akitsu looked away. "Akitsu-chan?"

"Uuuhh!" moaned a voice from outside, interrupting the awkward moment. "I'm so hungry!"

The door to the hallway slid open. Minato and Negi both baulked at the sight that greeted them.

"Uzume…" Kagari sighed. "How many times do I have to tell you not to come down here dressed like that?"

The person standing in the doorway was a young woman with long brown hair hanging around her face and tied in a single pony tail on the left side. She was naked but for a frilly pink bustier and matching panties, the latter straining under the burden of a chest easily as voluminous as that of Akitsu or Musubi.

"At least I'm wearing panties this time," Uzume replied. Her brown eyes sparkled. "Hey Asuna!"

"Uh, hey," Asuna replied, doing her best not to react. "You're kinda…_informal _this evening."

"I know! I kinda forgot to get dressed." Uzume turned to Negi.

"_Hi _Negi- _chan,_" she cooed, giggling as Negi's face turned as red as his hair. Akitsu reacted, planting her hand over Negi's eyes and glaring at Uzume.

"Mine," she growled, making Uzume laugh even harder.

As this exchange took place, Minato took the opportunity to sidle up to Miya.

"Uh, Miya-san," he said, rather cautiously. "I hope this doesn't sound rude, but what kind of place is this? You guys don't exactly look like family." At this, Miya laughed aloud.

"Of course we aren't. This is a boarding house."

"A boarding house?!" Minato exclaimed.  
"Yes," Miya replied. "I'm the landlady, and these are our current crop of tenants." She gestured around the table.

"Hey!" Uzume spoke up, having taken her place at the low table. "The only problem is this place is kinda run down, so only crazies and weirdoes live here. So we're always looking for more normal types."

"Oh really?" Miya stared at Uzume, and Negi fancied he could make out a strange purple aura hovering about her as the room turned cold.

"Uh!" Uzume looked scared. "I mean, this place has so much character, so we need a variety of types!"

"I'm normal!" Minato pleaded, prostrating himself before Miya. "We were just kicked out of our apartment and we've got nowhere to go."

It couldn't happen, not _really_. There was no way that Miya, kind and considerate though she was, would take them in just like that.

"You poor thing," Miya said indulgently. "Raise your head. My husband believed in never turning anyone away."

"But…"

"So welcome home!" Miya proclaimed. "To Maison Izumo!"

* * *

_**The Next Morning**_

Asuna yawned as her eyes fluttered open.

It took her a moment to register the body heat next to her. She sighed as she looked down at Negi, his sleeping face nuzzled against her breasts. A few months earlier she would have reacted very badly to the intrusion. But for some reason, in spite of everything, it didn't really feel like an intrusion any more. Maybe she had just gotten used to it.

At least this time her pyjamas hadn't come open. She cared about Negi, but not enough for him to warrant that privilege.

Not that it hadn't happened before, for one reason or another.

Asuna blinked, her eyes growing accustomed to the morning sunlight. For an instant she tensed, fearing she had slept in, that she would be late for her paper round. Then she remembered where she was, and relaxed. Her employer had been happy to give her the time off, and told her to take as long as she needed.

She frowned. She hadn't expected the trip to take more than a few days, a week at the most, especially since they were actually staying in Shin Tokyo. Come to think of it, there was something very odd about the assignment the Dean had given them. He had told them to find Minato Sahashi, with only his picture to identify him, and they were not under any circumstances to use the internet, public information terminals, or to ask anyone except Miya. Asuna had begun to wonder if the Dean wasn't finally going senile, or if this was part of some incredibly convoluted and bizarre scheme to marry off his granddaughter.

It was almost as if he wanted the whole thing kept absolutely secret. It was the only halfway plausible explanation, if she charitably assumed that the old man was still compos mentis.

But then, who could he possibly be trying to keep it a secret from?

Asuna yawned again, and sat up. There would be time later to…

She stopped, staring open-mouthed at Negi, or rather the spot next to him. She let out a piercing scream.

"What the hell are you doing there?!"

Akitsu mumbled something as she rose. She half-opened her eyes, gazing sleepily back at Asuna.

"What?"

"Y…y…you!" Asuna spluttered, pointing an accusing finger at Akitsu, who was wearing nothing but a white yukata. "What the hell are _you_ doing in my futon?! It's bad enough with him crawling in there every single freakin' night!"

"Uuuhhh," Negi moaned, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. "Nekane, what's all the…" He blinked, staring at Asuna, then followed her pointed finger to Akitsu.

"Oh, good morning, Akitsu."

"Whaddya mean good morning?!" Asuna snapped. "She can't just climb in here! What's the big idea?!"

"He's my Ashikabi," Akitsu replied, deadpan. "He's warm. I was cold."

"What's that go to do with anything?!" Asuna shrieked. "Besides, he's too young for that stuff!"

Akitsu stared at Asuna for a few moments, then slid her arms around Negi from behind, pressing him to her. Negi cried out as he felt her barely-restrained breasts against his back.

"Hey!" Asuna barked, shocked. "Don't do that in here!"

"He's my Ashikabi," Akitsu repeated. "And you're too loud."

"Uh, Asuna-san!" Negi pleaded, gesticulating frantically. "Please calm down! You'll wake the whole house!"

"Get your over-sized tonkers away from him!" Asuna was too angry to listen to reason. "I said…get off!" The last she snarled as she grabbed Negi's arm and pulled. Negi wailed as Akitsu grabbed onto the rest of him and held tight.

"Let go!"

"Asuna-san! Akitsu!" Negi cried as they pulled, his pyjamas coming askew.

"Get off him!" Asuna snarled, grabbing Negi's nearest leg. But Akitsu would not relent, and though she yanked back and forward, Asuna could make no headway.

"Please!" Negi wailed, as his pyjama top tore open. "This is not appropriate!"

From his vantage point atop the dresser, Albert Chamomile took a pull on his morning cigarette as he watched the entertainment.

"Let go!"

"Don't pull!"

"You let go!"

"Not down there!"

"Let go!"

"He's my Ashikabi!"

"Help!"

"What _is _all this noise?!"

Asuna and Akitsu froze. Slowly, like children caught in the act, they turned their heads towards the door.

"Oh _my_." Miya was smiling _very _sweetly. "What, may I ask, is going on here?"

Asuna shivered in fear as the air turned cold. Opposite her, Akitsu actually looked scared.

"Uh…landlady-san!"

Then Asuna realised where she had put her hand. She withdrew it with a cry of shock, and Akitsu pulled a traumatized, half-naked Negi to her.

"Girls." Something cold and dangerous hovered around Miya's tone. "You should know that this sort of…_goings on_…is strictly forbidden at Maison Izumo."

"Mine," Akitsu said, as defiantly as she could manage.

"Even if they were not," Miya went on, her eyes glowing malevolently. "I expect better of young ladies such as yourself. _Far_ better." Asuna wailed, cold sweat drenching her pyjamas.

"If I catch you manhandling this _sweet _little boy again," Miya continued. "There will be…_consequences_."

"Miya-san," Negi spoke up, disentangling himself from a terrified Akitsu.

"Very special consequences." Negi shivered as he saw the demon head hovering over Miya. "Reserved for child-molesters…and people who talk at the theatre. Am I understood?"

Sekirei and schoolgirl nodded vigorously.

"Good!" The frigid aura vanished. "Breakfast will be ready in a few moments!"

* * *

_**Shin Tokyo, an apartment complex**_

"By the way Minato-san," Negi said, handing the last bag of trash to Minato. "Have you given some though to our offer?"

"Oh, that." Minato paused, uncertain. "Sorry, I haven't. Things've been kinda crazy recently."

"I quite understand," Negi said, as Minato tossed the bag into the appropriate bin. "Things like this happen to me all the time."

"Oh, right." Minato sighed. "Your life must be pretty interesting."

"Well," Negi mused, smiling awkwardly. "You _might _say that." His smile faltered as he saw the look on Minato's face.

"I, on the other hand…" Minato trailed off.

Negi didn't reply. It was sad, but he really didn't know what to say to Minato. If he tried to tell his older friend that his life was perfectly valuable and meaningful, he would probably react very badly. In any case he couldn't imagine himself being so arrogant, so condescending as that.

"Minato-san." He was taking a risk, but he had to say _something._ "You shouldn't get the wrong idea."

"How can it be wrong?" Minato asked, a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Look at you. You're a teacher, and at a big-name school like Mahora to boot. And you're some kind of wizard. And you've even got yourself a Sekirei." He humphed. "What've I got? Two exam failures and no job."

"Minato-san, you don't understand." Negi forced himself to smile. "I only got the teaching post _because _I'm a wizard."

"Come again?"

"It's my test," Negi explained wistfully. "A test every Magister Mage must face. It was all arranged by the senior magi."

"You have to be a teacher before you can be a mage?" Minato was incredulous.

"Only me, as far as I know. Every test is different, depending on the individual." Negi chuckled. "My old friend Anya is a fortune teller in London."

"Oh, really?" Minato laughed nervously. "At least she's got something she can do." An awkward silence followed.

"Minato-san," Negi said. "Do you truly believe…that you have nothing to offer?"

Minato turned away, his hands in his pockets, his head lowered.

"Sometimes." He paused. "Sometimes…I wonder why I exist. I got this far, all the way through school, and now I keep on failing."

"It's only an exam." The words slipped out, and Negi instantly regretted them. But it was too late.

"No it isn't!" Minato growled, suddenly angry. "I don't know how things are where you're from, but here the exam is _everything_! Fail it and you're nothing! Nothing!"

Negi almost recoiled, embarrassed and a little afraid.

"Minato-san, you're not…" He almost squeaked in fright as Minato suddenly punched the metal bin.

"Where does that girl get off calling me a loser?!" he snarled. "I know it's different for you, but she's had every advantage! She even got into that fancy elevator school! She's had _everything_!"

"Minato-san…"

Minato's head snapped around, and then he faltered when he saw the look on Negi's face.

"I…I'm sorry!" he pleaded, the fury vanishing as suddenly as it had appeared. He couldn't bear the thought of having made Negi cry. "I didn't mean it!"

"Minato-san." Negi mastered himself, blinking back the tears and forcing himself to smile. "I…wish Asuna-san hadn't said those things to you. It's my fault really, since Dean Konoe sent her on the assignment with me. She…gets angry very easily, and says things she doesn't mean."

"I guess, but…"

"It's true that she's well-off at Mahora," Negi went on mildly. "But she's only there because of Dean Konoe's kindness. She has no family, no money, nothing to her name. No one even seems to know where she came from."

Minato wanted to say something, but shame stilled his tongue.

"Asuna has a lot of pride." Negi was still smiling, but there was a wistful, rather quality to it. "Konoka-san once told me it was the only thing that kept her going sometimes. She's not the sort of person who can easily admit that she needs help." He looked Minato in the eyes. "I think that's something we share, you and I."

Minato sighed.

"I'm sorry," he said, sincerely. "I mean it. I was just…well…"

"There was a time I let myself down, Minato-san," Negi said, looking down. "I ran from what I feared, from a trial I had no choice but to face. If it wasn't for someone I met, someone who listened to me, and took the time to help me, I'd probably still be running." He looked up at Minato again. "I'm no better than you, Minato Sahashi."

"You don't have to say that," Minato replied. "I…I guess I'm just tired of being a loser."

"A loser?" Negi chuckled, and something of the sparkle Minato had seen before returned to Negi's eyes. "I think Musubi would have something to say about that."

Minato's cheeks reddened with momentary embarrassment. Then he remembered the things Musubi had said, and how pleasant it was to be with her, even when she was eating him out of house and home. That same feeling, that wonder at the thought that she might _enjoy_ being with him, returned to warm him once again.

And then he remembered that thrill, that mingled joy and wonder, that transcendent moment when she had carried him through the clouds, and into the light of the full moon. For that brief instant he could have believed that the gods were real, and that there was indeed something else, something so much greater, in the higher sky above.

"You know, Negi-kun," he said, smiling awkwardly. "Maybe this once, I really did get lucky."

"As my old headmaster said," Negi replied, grinning, "a charmed life is a happy life."

* * *

"Where the hell are those two?" snapped an irate Asuna. "How long does it take to get rid of trash we already sorted?!"

Standing at the top of the flight of stairs leading up to Minato's former apartment, she had a good view of the surrounding area. This was the fifth time in as many minutes she had stepped out there, wondering what had become of Negi and Minato.

She was getting upset. She had agreed to help Minato clear out his apartment, mostly because she wanted to make it up to him for being a jerk the other day, but also because she wanted to keep an eye on Negi. She had no intention whatsoever of leaving him alone with that gloomy, clingy Sekirei who had just arbitrarily declared him her Ashikabi, whatever the hell that was, and started crawling into his bed at night.

But Akitsu was now the least of her problems, for at least Asuna knew where she was.

"I don't know," Musubi replied, emerging from the kitchen with yet another box. "What could be keeping them?"

"Knowing Negi-bozu, he's probably having a heart-to-heart with Minato out by the bins," Asuna groused. "I swear, when that kid was born, he was cleaned in water from Lake Cornball."

"I don't know where that is!" Musubi said happily. "But it's great that they're making friends!"

Asuna rolled her eyes. Musubi could charitably be called _simple, _or perhaps _innocent_. Fortunately, Asuna wasn't quite angry enough to call her what she felt like calling her.

"That _isn't _the problem," she groused. "There could be Sekirei roaming around out there spoiling for a fight. What's gonna happen if one of them spots those two?"

"Why would anything happen?" Musubi looked mystified. "They're not Sekireis. Attacking them would be against the rules."

"Yeah, well that didn't stop Mikogami and his harem!" Asuna snapped. "What if they…?!"

"Hello up there!" a cheerful voice cut her off. "Is this where Minato Sahashi lives?"

Asuna glanced over the railing. Standing below was a girl, maybe a couple of years her senior, with black hair in a short bob.

"Not any more it's not," Asuna replied, descending the steps. "We're helping him clear out. He should be back any minute."

"Oh, uh, okay." The girl was smiling, but she sounded a little dubious. As she reached the bottom of the steps, Asuna got a better look at her. She was well-dressed, in a light brown jacket, and a red and brown plaid skirt, along with black thigh-highs. She was carrying a Vivianne Eastwood shopping bag.

"I'm Yukari Sahashi," the girl introduced herself, bowing. "I'm Minato's younger sister."

"Asuna Kagurazaka," Asuna replied, returning the bow. "I…guess you could say I'm his housemate." She laughed nervously.

"Right." Yukari gave her a searching look. She looked as if she was about to speak again, when the sound of voices from around the corner drew her attention.

"…the Dean's granddaughter on her mother's side. She's a Konoe of the Fujiwara clan."

"Fujiwara? As in…?"

"Oh yes. Apparently she's met him a few times."  
"No way!"

Asuna gave a sigh of relief as Minato and Negi rounded the corner, the former looking slightly stunned. He looked even more stunned when he caught sight of Yukari.

"Hey there!" Yukari greeted him. "About time you showed up!"

"Y…Yukari!" Minato froze. "What're you doing here?"

"Are you kidding?" Yukari looked slightly miffed. "I brought the clothes you asked for."

"I asked you to send me some, not…!"

"You are _so _cute!" Minato trailed off as Yukari advanced on Negi, ruffling his hair with one hand. "Hey, is this your love-child with Asuna?!"

"What?! No!" Minato spluttered, panic-stricken. Asuna snorted.

"Just kidding!" Yukari grinned. "Besides, I didn't come here just because of you. I came to look at a college I've been accepted to."

"No one told me that!"

"I'm not that rude you know. You told me you failed the entrance exam again, and I didn't want to rub it in. Oh, and by the way, Mom got a new job out here too."

"Minato!" Minato swung from despair back to blind panic as Musubi came bounding down the steps, followed at a more sedate pace by Akitsu. "You're back! Where do…?" She trailed off as she saw Yukari.

"Ohhh!" Yukari drawled, leering at Musubi. "I get it now."

"No you don't!" Minato babbled. "This isn't what it looks like!"

"You wanted me to bring clothes so you could give them to your _girlfriend_!"

"What?" Musubi cocked her head. "Girlfriend?"

"No it's…!"

"I'm his younger sister Yukari," Yukari introduced herself. "Nice to meet you!"

"I never knew Minato had a sister!" Musubi replied. "Nice to meet you! I'm his Sekirei!"

There was a long, and very awkward pause, made all the more ludicrous by the sight of Minato, frozen stiff, his hand reaching to cover Musubi's mouth.

"Sekirei?" Yukari was incredulous. "Isn't that kinda…conceited?"

"It's his pet name for her," Asuna interjected, improvising. "She's his _widdle wagtail_!"

Minato's face flushed. Musubi looked guileless. Yukari rolled her eyes.

* * *

_**Maison Izumo**_

With the afternoon sun still high in the sky, Negi, Akitsu, and Asuna gathered in the garden. Chamo sat on Negi's shoulder.

"I think this would be a good opportunity to get used to being a Ministra," Negi said, in as magisterial a manner as a ten-year-old boy could manage.

"Ministra." Akitsu paused, as if she were still getting used to the sound of the word. "You made me stronger."

"Yeah, that's what happens," Asuna added. "You make a contract, and you get power from him. That's how I was able to fight that crazy scythe girl." She flinched just slightly as Akitsu's green eyes turned to gaze at her.

"So you're…a Ministra too?" Akitsu asked.

"Well, yes." Asuna sighed. There was no easy way of dealing with it. "Look, it's only a temporary pactio, so he can have as many as he wants."

Akitsu looked down at the ground. There was a despondent air about her.

"A Sekirei has only one Ashikabi," she said, in her usual low voice. "But an Ashikabi can have many Sekireis."

"Oh?" Negi smiled nervously, massaging the back of his neck. "That's…interesting."

"Hey," Asuna held out a hand, as if to comfort Akitsu. "I know it's not really the same, but…"

"It's okay," Akitsu said, straightening up. "I…like it."

"Excellent!" Negi beamed, relieved. "Every time a contract is formed, a card is created to represent it. I keep the original, but here's a copy for you to use." Negi reached into his breast pocket and drew out the card. Akitsu stared in wonderment as she took it from his hands.

There was an image of Akitsu on it, clad in the same white kimono and black obi she was currently wearing. There was a necklace about her throat, made of pale blue gems skilfully carved as to look like ice. Superimposed over the image were words, written in a delicate, curving script.

_Acitsu_

_Domina Glacies_

"Akitsu, lady of ice," Negi explained proudly. "Your virtus is Justitia, which is aligned to Saturn, while your Directio is Occidens, the West. And I see your colour is blue, which I think suits you very nicely."

Akitsu smiled. It was only a small smile, but it was enough to make her normally taciturn face light up.

"Now, one thing you can use that card for is telepathy," Negi went on. "Just touch it to your forehead, and you can communicate with me telepathically."

Akitsu did as she was instructed. Negi opened his mouth to speak, then paused as he felt Akitsu's mind touch his.

"Yes," he said, smiling. "Yes, I think I do." Akitsu's cheeks reddened.

"Okay okay, let's get on to the good part!" Asuna interjected tersely. "When you wanna use your item, you hold your card and say _adeat_. Now try it."

"Adeat." As Akitsu said the word, the card became a flash of light. The light coiled around her neck, reforming into the same necklace.

"Yep!" proclaimed Chamo, wearing a grin that should not have been physically possible for an ermine. "Aniki sure knows how to pick'em!"

"Get tight you little rat!" Asuna snapped, rounding on the ermine. "Don't act like a big shot! You just want the money!"

"That…is a slanderous libel!" Chamo retorted, after a momentary pause. "It's my job to make sure aniki gets in good with the right partners!"

"And the fifty-thousand-Ermine Dollar consultancy fees mean _nothing _at all," Asuna snarked. "You're a…!"

A cry from behind ended the argument. All looked to see Minato sitting on the ground in front of a tree, staring at it in bewilderment.

"Are you all right?" Negi asked, as they hurried to his side.

"I…I, uh…" Minato blinked, then stared at the tree again. "That…that girl was…"

"A girl, Minato-san?" Negi was mystified.

"I just touched the trunk." Minato pointed at the tree. "And I saw her. A little girl in a white dress."

"Hey," Asuna spoke up. "Isn't this the tree you and Musubi fell down through?"

"Yeah, it is," Minato replied. "I was just wondering about that. I saw her while we were falling."

Negi stared at the tree, his eyes narrowing as he concentrated.

"Sense anything?" Asuna asked.

"Something was here," Negi breathed. "A moment ago. Almost like…"

A crash resounded through the house, making them all jump.

"What was that?!" Asuna pulled out her card in reflex. Akitsu dropped into a combat stance. Another crash followed, then another, followed by the sound of running footsteps.

"Upstairs!" Asuna growled. "They must've…!"

There was a crunch and tinkle of breaking glass as something erupted from one of the upstairs windows. The shape landed on the fence, resolving itself into Uzume, who for some reason was wearing only a bath towel. Negi cried out in shock as the bath towel came askew, exposing her breasts.

"Oh, thank goodness!" Uzume said, replacing the towel. "Aren't you the new girl's Ashikabi?"

"Uh…" Minato was staring at her, his face red.

"Listen, I don't wanna fight anyone!" Uzume leapt, rolled in the air like an Olympic gymnast, and landed next to Minato.

"And that includes her." Minato flinched as Uzume put her arms around his neck, pressing seductively upon him. "Could you make her stop?"

"Stop what?"

"Ah!" gasped Musubi, from the broken window. "You let go of Minato right now!" She leapt down, landing a few metres from Uzume and Minato. Like Uzume, she had only a bath towel to protect her honour. She looked angry, more so than any of them had ever seen her.

"Let go of him!" she snapped. "I mean it!"

"Musubi, please calm down!" Minato pleaded, as Uzume hid behind him. "You have to stop this!"

"Now now, everyone." Negi raised his hands in a placatory gesture. "There's no need for violence!"

"Get away from him, _now_!" Musubi leapt at Uzume, drawing back her right arm. Minato babbled in terror as her mighty fist drew closer.

And then Miya was there, a metal plate in her hand like a buckler. Musubi's fist struck it, denting it with a metallic clang. Musubi landed, staring at the dented plate, eyes wide with surprise.

Then she cried out in pain and surprise as Miya bopped her on the head with a ladle.

"Young ladies shouldn't run around barely dressed!" Miya admonished sternly.

"Right," Musubi whimpered. "I'm sorry." Uzume giggled at her discomfiture.

"That goes for you too!" Miya barked, spinning around to point her ladle at Uzume.

"Okay!" she said, looking _slightly _bashful.

Asuna stared at Miya. She had known that the landlady was scary, but nothing she had ever done compared to her feat a moment earlier. She would never have believed that the staid, polite, normally gentle Miya could move like _that_.

Just who was she really?

"I won't dare ask the cause of this," Miya said testily. "But it won't happen again. There's no fighting in the house."

She smiled, and the air turned cold as the demon face returned.

"Am I understood?"

* * *

**Author's Notes**

**I got some complaints in the reviews about Negi's power level. I feel I should make it clear that this fic takes place between Negi's fight with the Baron and the Festival Arc, so he's nothing like as powerful as he is destined to become. Considering that Mitsuha's whip can smash concrete, I don't think he did too badly to get out without shattered bones and perforated lungs. Asuna was also holding her own against Yomi well enough, aside from being distracted by worrying about Negi. **

**Akitsu's card took some figuring out, and I am indebted to the Vetus website for making the task a lot easier. I chose Saturn as her planet, since I think it best reflects her personality. This in turn required her Virtus to be Justitia, which is aligned to Saturn. The directions are apparently based on the Five Cardinal points of Chinese astronomy, so I chose the White Tiger, representing the West and Autumn (since Akitsu's name means 'Autumn Port'). Her colour is blue, which in Japanese symbology apparently stands for coolness and passivity, as well as loyalty. **

**My thanks to Zaru for beta-reading this (and the [previous chapters). Kudos to anyone who spots Miya's quip from the morning scene. **


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